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Co-Evolution of the University Technology Transfer: Towards a Sustainability-Oriented Industry: Evidence from Italy

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  • Paola M. A. Paniccia

    (Department of Management and Law, Tor Vergata University of Rome, 00133 Rome, Italy)

  • Silvia Baiocco

    (Department of Management and Law, Tor Vergata University of Rome, 00133 Rome, Italy)

Abstract

Industry is continuously evolving, reflecting changes in society. An important aspect of this evolution concerns how new digital technologies are used and their effects on innovation and sustainability. Thus, the relationship between university, industry, and government grows stronger, shifting the focus on technology transfer processes from university to industry, at local and national levels. To increase our understanding of how these processes take place, more theoretical and empirical research is required. This paper aims to respond to this call by examining the university technology transfer through a co-evolutionary approach. The study analyses the dynamics of the relationships at different organisational levels within universities able to create sustainability-oriented innovative university spin-offs and start-ups, through the Italian National Innovation Award case. The findings show that the creation of these spin-offs and start-ups are the result of effective multi-level co-evolutionary adaptations within universities, and among university, industry and government. The article contributes to the further understanding of the management of technology transfer by combining some elements from the literature about the co-evolution of social organisations and their environment with some elements from the Triple Helix model of innovation. Moreover, both theoretical and managerial implications emerge, together with suggestions for future research.

Suggested Citation

  • Paola M. A. Paniccia & Silvia Baiocco, 2018. "Co-Evolution of the University Technology Transfer: Towards a Sustainability-Oriented Industry: Evidence from Italy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-29, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:12:p:4675-:d:188976
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    2. Adriano Mesquita Soares & João Luiz Kovaleski & Silvia Gaia & Daiane Maria de Genaro Chiroli, 2020. "Building Sustainable Development through Technology Transfer Offices: An Approach Based on Levels of Maturity," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-22, February.
    3. Lisa Craiut & Constantin Bungau & Paul Andrei Negru & Tudor Bungau & Andrei-Flavius Radu, 2022. "Technology Transfer in the Context of Sustainable Development—A Bibliometric Analysis of Publications in the Field," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-16, September.
    4. Noelia Franco-Leal & Carmen Camelo-Ordaz & Juan Pablo Dianez-Gonzalez & Elena Sousa-Ginel, 2020. "The Role of Social and Institutional Contexts in Social Innovations of Spanish Academic Spinoffs," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-24, January.
    5. Călin S. Vac & Ileana Andreica & Ioana A. Roman, 2023. "Prospects for Research, Development, Innovation and Technology Transfer in Romanian Horticulture," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-26, June.
    6. Gianpaolo Abatecola, 2021. "Prioritizing Short-Termism in Behavioural Strategy: Lessons from Enron – 20 Years On," International Journal of Business and Management, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 14(4), pages 1-60, July.
    7. José Bestier Padilla Bejarano & Jhon Wilder Zartha Sossa & Carlos Ocampo-López & Margarita Ramírez-Carmona, 2023. "University Technology Transfer from a Knowledge-Flow Approach—Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-21, April.
    8. Oleksandr Davydiuk & Iuliia Ostapenko & Volodymyr Shekhovtsov & Iryna Sukhodubova & Yurii Senyk, 2023. "Identifying directions for improving means of technology transfer safety regulation," Eastern-European Journal of Enterprise Technologies, PC TECHNOLOGY CENTER, vol. 5(13 (125)), pages 88-97, October.

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